pardoned in making a claim to some agency in establishing it, as the only one, I have to any merit connected with that work.

The citizens of the United States are not yet emancipated, nor can they expect to be for some time to come, from a degree of dependence on foreign opinion in every thing regarding literature. Yet criticism is every day gaining ground among us, obtaining wider influence as it displays greater talent, and the period is perhaps not very distant when foreign literary decisions will be sought for principally under the impulse of curiosity; and our own tribunals will be esteemed the supreme authority. The North-American Review is contributing in every number to produce this effect; and it certainly shews that there is a considerable stock of literature already accumulated in the country, when such a journal should have continued for several years increasing in value, and preserving itself from the bigoted sway of any political or religious party. When we consider what the Monthly Anthology was in 1810, and what the North-American Review is in 1820, the increase in this department, at least rivals any other in this most prolific and expanding country. The enlightened observer will find it to keep pace with most of the statistical facts, connected with production or population, that are obvious enough to excite admiration in many, who are indifferent to the progress of intellectual efforts.*

* It may be necessary to add that this was written in December 1820, and that I had contributed nothing to the Review for two years previous.

The Review passed from my hands into the possession of a few gentlemen who own it in common; writing in it occasionally themselves and procuring literary contributions from others. The principal charge of editing it, is in the care of a gentleman singularly qualified for the task, and well prepared for the highest departments of editorship. In originally undertaking the work, I flattered myself that it would eventually come under his direction, and I trust it will continue for a long period to add to his reputation and to that of American literature.

ON

GEOLOGICAL SYSTEMS.

From the North-American Review, July, 1816.

SIR,

Ir the following pages will do for your Journal, I offer them for insertion. They are the amount of a conversation reduced to writing, and of course necessarily superficial and imperfect. A lady, whose reading was more among the lighter books of litera ture, than the ponderous ones of science, having met with some allusions to the Vulcanian and Neptunian theories of the earth, and mention of Vulcanists and Neptunists, requested of me an explanation of these systems. Without pretensions to any profound knowledge of geology, I should have hesitated at the task, if a very learned dissertation had been necessary; but trusting that my fair inquirer had too little acquaintance with science, to expose my errors, if she would, and too much good nature to do it, if she could, I attempted a brief exposition of the subject.

Among the heathen divinities, there were two of great eminence, whose names have been borrowed

by geologists, as very convenient to designate their different theories. Neptune was the God of the sea, the brother of Jupiter, and drove about the capricious element he ruled, in a large shell, drawn by sea horses, of a breed which are now extinct, except in the designs of artists. He carried in his hand a fork with three prongs, called a trident. As the God himself has not been seen for some centuries, a very famous nation, who have driven very furiously over the ocean, without the aid of horses, had long claimed to be in possession of his trident, which has been called, "the sceptre of the globe." The world has generally acceded to this pretension, though having driven with too much violence, and too little caution against some who were travelling the same rout, it is supposed, that a younger nation obtained one of the prongs in a short scuffle, which ensued at last, in consequence of frequent altercation.

Vulcan was more renowned for his skill, than his good fortune. He formed a very brilliant, but unfortunate matrimonial connexion. His principal employment was forging thunderbolts for Jupiter, who, like other tyrants, was often in a passion. Our fellow townsman, Dr. Franklin, has protected us by one of his discoveries, from the skill of Vulcan, and the force of Jupiter; and as he also contributed to establish the liberty of our country, both these exploits have been happily commemorated in a well known line in Latin, which I need not repeat.

Vulcan's workshops were situated near Mount Etna, and he employed a number of gigantic journeymen, with only one eye in the centre of their fore

head, called Cyclops. A very particular account of these people, and the adventures of Ulysses among them, you will find in the 9th book of that most amusing poem, the Odyssey. It is impossible not to remark here, how much the poets can make out of the simplest materials. This story of Vulcan, his labours, and labourers, are all derived from one of the earliest iron founders, whose workmen, to protect their eyes from the intense heat of the metal, wore a leather mask, which had one large hole in the centre; Homer transformed these poor blacksmiths into monsters, and made them immortal.]

Now Geologists are divided into two parties: the first say that this globe was formed by the agency of fire, and they are called Vulcanists, from the God of fire. The others maintain that water was the agent, and are called Neptunists, from the God of that element. Perhaps you may obtain some idea of their different theories, by applying them alternately to the formation of that cumbrous, magnificent, wedding cake, which stands on the table near us, with all its ornaments of gilded box, motto shells, sugared almonds, &c. &c. In reasoning on its formation, of which I really know little more than of that of the earth, which groans under its weight; I will apply, alternately, the Neptunian and Vulcanian theories, to account for its construction. The lady here in

quired, whether these theories did not interfere with the Mosaick account of the creation? I explained to her, that there was nothing irreverent in these investigations; that in the various departments of the Old Testament, the most pious and learned theelo